In his new book, Living by Faith, Dwelling in Doubt, Kyle Cupp presents a personal journey into the postmodern world. Like most persons under fifty – and many of us over 50 – his life has always involved dialogue with multiple spiritual pathways. While he has a religious home in the Roman Catholic Church, he recognizes the relativity of his specific denominational faith tradition, of Christianity, and all spiritual points of view. Faith is not having all the answers, but... Read more
Lectionary Reflections for October 27, 2013 Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 14-16; Luke 18:9-14 Anne Lamott asserts that the essential elements of prayer are “Help, Thanks, and Wow.” Today’s readings involve a litany of praise – a spiritual “wow” at the many ways God moves in our lives and the world. God is always at work faithfully in the microcosm and macrocosm and the human and non-human. The only response we can make to God’s ubiquitous grace is praise. Joel praises... Read more
A well-known saying from Zen Buddhism notes: “Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water.” Although deeply rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition, this is the essence of Tim and Sue Muldoon’s Six Sacred Rules for Family: A Spirituality of the Home. Quite often in life, the issue is not what we do but how we do it. Family life today, even in rural areas, can often be described as a state of... Read more
“Power is a gift” says Andy Crouch in his excellent new book Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power. Our use of power can either create or destroy, and power that leads to flourishing, Crouch notes, is grounded in our relationship with God. Crouch believes that the use of power is inevitable and can be good, and that it can be redeemed to serve the greater purposes of God and humanity; power, rightly used, can deepen rather than weaken our relationships and... Read more
Lectionary Reflections for October 20, 2013 Jeremiah 31:27-34 Psalm 119:97-104 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 Luke 18:1-8 Today’s lectionary readings could easily inspire three different sermon trajectories. The insightful preacher may choose to reflect on themes such as: 1) the meaning of divine law and its relationship to our well-being, 2) the inspiration of scripture and its role in sharing God’s news, and 3) persistence in prayer and the question of unanswered prayer. These themes are woven together by a vision that God... Read more
Lectionary Reflections for October 13, 2013 Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7; Psalm 66:1-12; 2 Timothy 2:8-15; Luke 17:11-19 Today’s readings require much interpretation. They point to the energetic movements of God in all things. They also suggest that God may be using pain and suffering as a tool of growth. On the positive side, God is not confined by space or time, or ethnicity. God’s resurrection life gives us courage to face the challenges of life. But, do these challenges come from the hand of... Read more
Lectionary Reflections for October 6, 2013 Lamentations 1:1-6; Psalm 137; 2 Timothy 1:1-14; Luke 17:5-10 This week’s lectionary is filled with challenging passages. The Hebraic scriptures speak of national desolation and its impact on the faithful. They challenge our belief in a God who is exclusively on our side. The New Testament passages challenge us to expect great things of ourselves and God. We are to aspire toward living “the sacrament of the present moment,” investing ordinary things with extraordinary care... Read more
Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once spoke of the phenomenon of “cheap grace” and contrasted it with costly discipleship. Cheap grace refers to those who claim to be Christian, but make no significant life changes as a result of their faith. They reap all the benefits of society and see faith as going along with the prevailing social order. Costly discipleship involves our willingness to take a stand for our faith even if we suffer for it. Bob Fu’s God’s Double Agent,... Read more
I wonder if I will have the courage to trust God, believing, with the Apostle Paul, that as my body diminishes, I can continue to soar spiritually. Read more
Lectionary Reflections for September 29, 2013 Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16 I Timothy 6:6-19 Luke 16:19-31 Today’s scriptures present both challenge and hope. They root our hope in our relationship with God. Those who commit themselves to God’s cause can imagine futures and act on their imagination, even if the arc of imagination goes beyond their lifetimes. They can face illness, external threat, and death knowing that God’s providence encompasses them. Life apart from a relationship with God eventually leads... Read more
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